From Side Hustle to Biggest Systainer Supplier in the U.S. with Tim Swieter [The Opportunity Ep.174]

Great entrepreneurs don't just wait for opportunities, they
create them.


That's exactly what Tim Swieter did.


It all started when Tim was searching for storage
containers for his home workshop. He quickly realized that the
Systainer market in the U.S. had a major gap. Instead of just
moving on, he saw an opportunity. So, he reached out to the
international owners of Systainer with a proposition - he wanted
to become their U.S. distributor.


Fast-forward a few years, and what started as a side hustle
turned into the largest Systainer distribution business in the
country.


Then came the ultimate full-circle moment: Tim sold the
business back to Systainer's owners, walking away with a
lucrative payday and a wealth of experience.


In this episode, Tim shares the inside story—how he
identified an overlooked niche, built brand recognition and
trust, and scaled his business. He also opens up about the
challenges of selling, the unexpected hurdles he faced, and what
it's really like to stay involved as a consultant
post-acquisition. According to Tim,


"If you're going to consult, you have to set
boundaries and clearly outline the scope of your work. You also
need to know that you really want to work with that team. If
those things don't exist, you either need to really cut back on
the consulting or not do it at all."


Whether you're looking to sell your business or searching
for inspiration on how to build one, this episode is packed with
insights you won't want to miss.
Topics Discussed in this episode:


From building theme park rollercoasters to running an
eCommerce business  (02:08)


The challenges Tim faced launching and growing his
business (10:36)


The marketing strategies Tim used to build trust and
brand recognition (13:00)


Balancing B2B vs B2C customers (20:35)


How Tim became the biggest Systainer supplier in the US
(23:08)


How Tim ended up selling his Systainer business
(27:39)


Calculating a valuation for the business (32:27)


The timeline of the sale - it's always longer than you
think (38:17)


Tim's new post-acquisition consulting role (40:22)


Tim's work in the SaaS world and the opportunities he
found in that industry (47:12)

Mentions: 


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Tim's LinkedIn


Systainer.store


Swieter.net


Pipedream


Retool



Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how this entrepreneur
identified a gap in the market and used it to his
advantage!